In the handling of sheet material such as is used for building construction, it has been common in recent times to provide a portable sheet bending brake wherein sheet material is clamped between an anvil member and a clamping surface and a bending member is hinged for bending the sheet material about the anvil member. Typical sheet bending brakes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,161,223, 3,481,174, 3,482,427, 3,559,444, 3,817,075 and 4,240,279.
As shown, for example, in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,161,223, 3,559,444, 3,817,075 and 4,240,279, the anvil member is clamped into position by means of a backing plate that has inclined cams underlying a portion of the fixed frame so that when the plate is moved longitudinally by a hand lever, the cams are moved into and out of position clamping and unclamping the backing plate.
In the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,481,174 and 3,482,427, the anvil is supported by pivoted bars that, in turn, are connected by links to a handle that is pivoted on the frame of the brake so that rotation of the handle moves the bars and, in turn, the anvil into and out of clamping position.
It has also heretofore been suggested that eccentric cams be utilized for moving the anvil member into and out of positions as shown, for example, in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,383,899, 4,092,841 and 4,081,986.
In the use of such brakes, it is often necessary to place a piece of sheet material aside while working on another piece. Accordingly, an objective of the present invention is to provide a combined sheet bending brake and platform which will support a piece of sheet material without interfering with the operation of the brake.
In accordance with the invention, the combined sheet bending brake and platform comprising a base, first and second bending members hinged to one another, an anvil member for clamping a work piece of sheet material on the first members such that moving the second member relative to the one member will bend the sheet material and a platform extending longitudinally for at least a portion of the length of the sheet bending brakes along the base generally parallel and opposite to the hinge axis of the two members such that the area overlying the brake is generally unobstructed.